Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-10-01
WOLF CREEK DISTRICT.
Important Discoveries made in this
New Mineral F'ield-Extensiye
Deposits of Coal, Iron,
Copper and Silver.


The mines in the Wolf creek district, ex
cept the. coal. were until lately situated il
Fergus county, but owing to the re-adiust
ment of county lines they now revert te
the parent county. viz, Meagher. Some
prospecting has been done for the pas,
eight years, but not till this season has
there been any attempts at thorough in.
vestigation. The camp is now easy of ac-
cess, a good road having been made
almost to the head of the stream. The
altitude of the valley is about 400 feet
with adjacent mountains ranging up to
5000 feet. The mineral products of the
vicinity are varied. Coal is abundant and
of good quality in the foothills, iron in
vast quantities in the lower ranges, and at
a still higher altitude copper and silver.
Numerous and valuable discoveries have
been made this season in all these min
| erals.
Coal is found in all the foothills, with
a dip toward the basin. The vein is iden.
teal with the one of Sand Coule and Belt
creek. 1t is of excellent quality and easy
of access. AT the claim of j. J.. Wood
hurst the vein shows a thickness of six
feet five inches. with over two and one
half feet of coking coal. This mine will
furnish Il large amount of coal this season
to the settlers on lower Wolf creek, whose
distance from the mountains renders fuel
scarce. The position of this coal field and
connection with the vast iron deposits of
this locality will render it an important
factor in the future.
Several valuable locations have been
made on these deposits, among which may
he named the Iron Crown. Iron Monarch
and Giroux. The ore is an oxide. dense
and massive. The vastness of this deposit
attracted the attention of Prof. Eldridge
at the time the transcontinental survey
was in this section. This gentleman
measured the size of one block of iron
ore. (now on the Iron Monarchy and esti-
mated its weight at fifteen tons. The mine
is a contact one, teachyte on n side and
limestone on the other. In many places
the lode is over forty-five feet in width.
COPPER
The mines of this mineral are mostly Gu.
the west fork of Running Wolf. The
principal mine is the Red Oxide, owned
by Watson Il Weodllurst. There are two
veins IN this location fifteen feel apart.
one being eight feet in width, the other
one five feet. The ore is principally red
and green oxide of copper, often being
rich in this metal besides carrying con
siderable silver and some gold. Consid-
cradle work has been done on this loca-
ton. Limited space will prevent detailed
account of other mines of this mineral.
SILVER.
The silver belt here is apparently on
tinuation of the lodes in Yugo. which is
only about five miles distant. Several
fine locations have been made of this min
eral, among which is the Sir Walter Scott
owned by Mr.. Paris Gibson of this city.
The silver ore in this mine is high grade
and milling in character. The presence
of flour spar Of varigated colors gives the
ore Il very handsome appearance. Con |
siderable permanent work has been done ,
on this mine. About one mile distant are
the Morrison and Woodhurst lodes, a new
discovery made Il few weeks agu
These locations are owned by O. T.. |
Morrison of this city, and J.J Woodhurst
of Wolf creek. The ~lateness of these
discoveries has prevented mucll work from
being done as yet. The vein lays in
quartzite, and judging from there being
three chimneys Tor llow-outs) of ore in
side 200 feet, appears TO have great
strength. The ore Is a carbonate, carry
ing considerable silver, and running very
high in lead; in places the ore carries
chlorides. The extraction of ore has
been found very easy, as the owners with
ON help or use of powder took out 10 |
of galena in five days. representing a
cash value of $1.650. The galeua is very
massive in character. specimens weighing
from 100 to as high.as 1000 pounds each.
The have built u road to within a
short distance of the mine, and are now
hauling supplies with a view of develop !
ing their property. 1t is considered by the
in this vicinity. that this discovery
is the most important one in this section
that has been made for Owe eight years.
The advent of cheap transport tons will
enable the mine owners i'll this section to
work their claims profitabIy; as also to
the future reduction works atGreat
with ores and tiuxes required for
successful treating of ores from these
camps.
49, VEe3f r.,nnAy ard [